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Mexico
MEXICO CITY Known for being the longest continuously inhabited city in the Western Hemisphere , Mexico City also ranks as the largest. Once called Tenochtitlan , the Aztec capital city was built on a one-square mile island in an enormous shallow lake. By the early 1500's it was the capital of a military empire that stretched from Texas to Honduras . This city of palaces, temples and marketplaces was later conquered and destroyed by Cortez, upon which the victorious Spaniards erected their colonial capital. Not only is Mexico City the capital of Mexico , but it is also Mexico 's commercial center. The zocalo, or central plaza, is the world's largest square and Mexico City 's main historic district. A whirlwind of history can be discovered in the district's museums, hotels, cathedrals, and public buildings. One mile to the north is the Tlatelolco Reforma and Chapultepec Park . Once housing the historic Aztec marketplace, it is now home to the Plaza of Three Cultures, depicting the three dramatic eras of Mexico City 's evolution. The elegant Paseo de la Reforma surrounds Mexico City from west to northeast. It was modeled after the Champs-Elysees in Paris and built during the reign of Emperor Maximilian, the Archduke who ruled Mexico from 1864-67. Just south of the Reforma is the fashionable Zona Rosa, or the Pink Zone. Built in the 1920's and reminiscent of Greenwich Village , its location is ideal, half-way between the zocalo and Chapultepec Park . Most of the superior and deluxe category hotels are located here, as well as the city's finest restaurants, historic landmarks and public buildings.
TEOTIHUACAN PYRAMIDS: Few cities in the world have been considered worthy of being inhabited by Gods but Teotihuacan is such a city. A thousand years of civilization, which today can still be felt along its wide avenues projecting out towards the cardinal points of the universe, had to pass before this place could be elevated to the ranks of a mythical city. This full day tour will take you to the archeological site of Teotihuacan , which is one of the most impressive sites of the Aztec World. Located only one hour outside of Mexico City , you will have
the chance to see the complexities of Aztec treasures. Climb the magnificent Pyramids of the Sun and the Moon. See also the Butterflies Temple , the Avenue of the Dead, and the Temple of Quetzalcoatl . SHRINE OF THE LADY OF GUADALUPE: You will also visit the Shrine of our Lady of Guadalupe, the most visited religious site in Latin America. Built in the 16th Century, this Shrine is a wonderful example of Spanish Baroque Art. In 1531 a 'Lady from Heaven' appeared to a poor Indian at Tepeyac, a hill northwest of Mexico City; she identified herself as the Mother of the True God, instructed him to have the bishop build a temple on the site and left an image of herself imprinted miraculously on his tilma. MEXICO CITY TOUR AND MUSEUM OF ANTHROPOLOGY:
In this tour you will visit the Metropolitan Cathedral, which is the largest church in all of Latin America housing many art treasures of the colonial period. This landmark was begun in 1572 and not completed for some 250 years. This fact becomes evident when you observe the structure's mosaic of architectural styles. Next, become a part of a vast cultural and recreational attraction known as Chapultepec Park . This 2,100 acre park contains five museums, two tranquil lakes, a zoo with adorable pandas, an amusement park with one of the world's largest roller coasters, a relaxing botanical garden, and many quiet walkways. You will also visit the National Palace , one of the oldest Government seats in the world, which still houses the President's Office and the Ministry of Finance. Become a part of history when you walk through this 1693 palace while observing the Diego Rivera murals on the inner hallways of the building. Lastly, learn about Mexico 's 30 centuries of human evolution when you visit the Anthropological Museum , which is the finest archaeological museum in the world. Here you will have the chance to see thousands of artifacts, including burial tombs, giant Olmec stone heads, the famous Aztec Calendar Stone and a reconstructed Mayan temple. TAXCO:
This charming city is located about 2 hours from Mexico City . You are at over 6,000 feet in elevation in Taxco , a very picturesque mountain city. The streets in Taxco are cobblestone and the streets, between twisted iron balconies, doors and windows and its colonial houses with white walls and red-tiled roofs, are embedded on the slopes of Atachi Hill. Here it is possible to visit the Guillermo Spratling Museum , which houses an impressive number of pre-Hispanic pieces and Taxco artists' and artisans' exhibitions and is one of the most popular places in town. There is also the Silver Museum , located on the handicraft patio, where pre-Hispanic pieces can be found that have won awards in national silver contests, as well as an original collection of work by Guillermo Spratling. A trip to the Viceroyalty Art Museum , constructed in the 18th century, which has 14 rooms exhibiting pieces of sacred-colonial art, is unforgettable. Known as Tlacho, "the place of ball-games", to the natives, this beautiful city with a mining past and unique architectural characteristics owes its grandeur to three people who unintentionally gave it its spectacular greatness, by just following their dreams and passions for this town. The first was, José de la Borda, who in the 18th century gave Taxco its panoramic aspect by having the Santa Prisca Temple constructed in gratitude for the mining richness he was given by the city. Also, William Spratling, who, by combining his own unique design sense with the town's ancestral crafts skills, gave rise to an invaluable production of silver jewelery. And finally, Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, the famous 17th Century playwright. In 1990 Taxco was decreed a National Historical monument. Visit the charming city and you will understand why! FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT: www.taxco.com.mx Cortez Palace in downtown Cuernavaca
The capital of Morelos , one of Mexico 's smallest states, Cuernavaca has been known for centuries as the City of the Eternal Spring . The name Cuernavaca stems from náhuatl word " Cuauhnáhuac " meaning "near the trees". With an altitude of 1542 meters (5059 feet), Cuernavaca 's climate is mild with warm, sunny days and cool nights. The City of the Eternal Spring boasts of palatial houses hidden behind their high walls and year-round blossoming vegetation and sub-tropical gardens. It is located only about 45 minutes drive from Mexico City and is rich with archeological ruins and haciendas , impressive scenery and natural spas . The opportunity for interesting side trips are many, all being within only a couple of hours drive.
For more information about Cuernavaca , visit the following websites: http://www.surf-mexico.com/states/Morelos/Cuernavaca/around_cuernavaca.htm PUEBLA:
In a broad, high valley about 60 miles southeast of Mexico City is a city known by many names over the years: City of Angels , City of Tiles , Heroic City of Zaragoza. Today we know it as simply Puebla . Established by the Spanish in 1531 on the main route between the port of Veracruz (the most important port in Mexico ) and Mexico City, Puebla was the principal city of colonial Mexico. Puebla 's appearance is the most European of all the colonial cities, because it was planned from the ground up by a Spanish city designer rather than being built within an existing Indian community. By 1539, Puebla had a university and was on its way to becoming well-known throughout Mexico for milling, textiles, exquisitely decorated pottery and tiles, and for the architectural beauty of its buildings. Puebla , keenly aware that in December, 1987, the city of Puebla de los Angeles was declared "a heritage of humanity" by UNESCO, its inhabitants and authorities are serious about preserving their architectural treasures, their traditions and their cuisine. Although modern Puebla is highly industrialized, its historic downtown remains a Spanish-colonial treasure filled with elegant 17th and 18th century European architecture and art. When you add a temperate climate year-around, friendly and courteous residents (called poblanos ) and delicious regional cuisine, Puebla becomes the ideal place to relax and enjoy colonial Mexico . Techniques of fine Spanish ceramic-making were introduced and gave rise to the now world famous Talavera, used for dinner plates and vases as well as to cover the facades and interiors of Puebla 's buildings. Two magnificent examples of this tile work are the former Convent of Santa Rosa (today House of Crafts) and the church of San Francisco Acatepec . Other decorative architectural elements beautifully worked by the artisans of Puebla are the wrought iron window and door coverings (the Cathedral being an especially fine example) and the stucco work. La Casa del Afeñique (House of Sugar Paste) State Regional Museum , for example, is profusely decorated with a plaster that imitates the shape of the sweet almond paste pastry known as alfeñiques. For more information on the city of Puebla, visit: http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/Heritage/Print/Puebla.htm
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